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BIBLE STUDY MATTHEW 23:1-39 REVIEW: Chapter 22 began with Jesus telling the Parable of the Wedding Banquet, in which the ones originally invited scorn the king’s invitation (most probably a reference to the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time). In response to their show of contempt, the king sends his troops and burns their city (probably a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans during the Jewish revolt in 70 A.D. Then the king orders that others be invited to the wedding banquet. Nevertheless, the account about the person not wearing a wedding robe illustrates that even though ALL persons are now invited to the wedding banquet (“both good and bad”), one must still then wear the “robe” of repentance and righteousness to remain in God’s kingdom. The next section was about the question of paying taxes to the emperor. The fact that the money used for the tax had the emperor’s image and title stamped on it showed that it belonged to him – therefore yes, it was lawful to pay taxes. But even more important is that we should also give God what belongs to God! I (Pastor George) also mentioned in my commentary that Jesus’ answer should not be misunderstood to mean that there are two spheres of existence – secular vs. spiritual. Every part of existence belongs to God – and the government is but a part of God’s total realm. Ultimately, paying God what belongs to him simply means living our lives in ways that accomplish his purposes – both “secularly” and “spiritually”! The Sadducees then confronted Jesus about the doctrine of the resurrection. Their story about “levirate marriage” was designed to show how complicated the resurrection could make things. In reply, Jesus showed that the basic point was understanding God’s purpose and power. It was God’s purpose that we should be in relationship with him forever, and because of that God would use his power to keep his promises – including raising us from death. Also, Jesus stated that the resurrection life (including earthly institutions such as marriage) would not be the same as earthly life. Jesus then was asked by the Pharisees to tell them which commandment in the law was the greatest. Rather than getting into “technical details”, Jesus answers by quoting the “Shema” (Deuteronomy 6:5) about loving God and also Leviticus 19:18 about loving our neighbor. If we keep these two basic principles, we will automatically be keep all the rest of the law. Finally, Jesus quotes Psalm 110:1 to show that the Messiah is more than just a descendent of David who would be a great king like him. Rather, the Messiah is God’s Son who would have the authority to correctly interpret and fulfill the scriptures. Having this understanding was very important for Matthew’s original Jewish-Christian readers, because it gave a “Biblical basis” for their Christological claims about Jesus. INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTER 23: Although this entire chapter is an uninterrupted discourse by Jesus, it is not usually counted as one of his five major discourses because it does not end with the formula “And when Jesus had finished all these sayings…” and because it is mainly a polemic (denunciation) against the “scribes and Pharisees” rather than a teaching on an important subject. Matthew’s original Jewish-Christian community would have understood these denunciations as being things to beware of in their own religious and communal life together. CHAPTER 23:1-4 “Making Religion a Burden” “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.” The scribes and the Pharisees, although often mentioned together, are not necessarily one and the same. Scribes interpreted the law, while the Pharisees tried to live by it. “Moses’ seat” was the chair in a synagogue where the authoritative teacher of the law sat. Indeed, the one who sat in that chair exercised the authority of Moses. Jesus’ criticism here of the scribes and Pharisees was twofold: 1) did not practice what they taught (hypocrisy), and 2) they imposed heavy burdens upon ordinary people with all of their rules and rituals. Regarding the charge of hypocrisy, this is perhaps somewhat “over-blown”. Rabbinic literature from this period and later in fact constantly emphasize the necessity of matching one’s teaching with personal behavior. We should remember that Matthew’s Jewish-Christian community was in conflict with the Pharisees of their day, and they were looking for reasons to discredit them. The charge of hypocrisy (valid or not) would have been a natural one for them to level at their opponents. This charge would have gone along with Jesus’ earlier saying in his Sermon on the Mount that “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 5:20) Jesus as portrayed by Matthew constantly stresses that his teaching is a light (well-fitting) way of living as compared to the teaching of the Pharisees. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest… For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Mt. 5:28, 30) The “burdens” that the Pharisees lay upon others were their insistence that they had to observe all of their 613 laws – especially about observance of the Sabbath (for example, Mt. 12:1-14), purity rituals (ex. – Mt. 15:1-20), and tithing (ex. – 23:20). The Pharisees were unwilling to relax any of these laws in any way, because they believed that they needed to “erect a fence” about the Torah. As a result, being “religious” became a burden to people rather than a joyful way of living. CHAPTER 23:5-12 “Making Religion a Show of Piety” “They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father – the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.” If religion consists of obeying rules and regulations, it is easy to see that persons who do that well might be inclined to “show off” their piety to others. Jesus selects certain actions and customs in which the Pharisees did this: 1. They made their phylacteries broad. Phylacteries (tephillin) were leather cases containing strips of vellum on which were written the words of Exodus 13:1-10, 13:11-16, Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21. Pious Jews wore these – one strapped on the wrist and one on the forehead – in order to literally fulfill the commands of Exod. 13:16 (“It shall serve as a sign on your hand and as an emblem on your forehead that by strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”); Deut. 6:8 (“Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead.”); and Deut. 11:18 (“You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as an emblem on your forehead.”) It is possible that some who wished to “show off” would made them ostentatiously broad. 2. They made their fringes long. In Numbers 15:37-39 and Deuteronomy 22:12 the LORD commanded the Israelites to make fringes (or tassels) on the corners of their garments to help them remember his commandments. Again, it is possible that some would deliberately make them longer than those worn by others in order to “show off” their piety. 3. They wanted to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. Certainly this criticism would not apply to all Pharisees and scribes, but it certainly did to some – as it is also true of some religious and church leaders of our own day as well! It could also be pointed out that this was true even among Jesus own disciples at times (see about James and John wanting the places of honor in Jesus’ kingdom – Mt. 20:20-23). The prohibitions against being addressed by the titles of rabbi, father, or instructor (master) are actually addressed to Jesus’ disciples. This gives us a glimpse into the ideal practice of Matthew’s Jewish-Christian congregation – which stressed the essential equality of all of its members (as opposed to the hierarchical structures found in other Jewish groups of their day). Only God and the Messiah (Jesus himself) are worthy of the mentioned titles. It must be admitted that the vast majority of Christians have ignored these prohibitions against titles within the Church. The title “rabbi” ceased to be used among Christians (probably because it became a central title within Judaism), but we still use titles for church leaders such as “father”, “pastor” or “reverend” – or if they are theologians, “doctor” and “professor”. St. Paul himself lists various offices and titles within the church in 1 Corinthians 1:28-29. The fact is, there is a need both for communal fellowship (equality) AND for structure within the church body. As shown in this passage, however, we must always be aware that “structure” can easily harm the ideal of communal fellowship when those in leadership positions tend to exalt themselves and their importance. SEVEN “WOES” – This next section consists of seven “woes” against the scribes and Pharisees. It should be noted that this number also symbolizes completeness – that their teaching and practice should be completely discredited. CHAPTER 23:13 “First Woe – For Locking People Out of the Kingdom” “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them.” This is a denunciation of exclusivity – their attitude that unless people were in their group and practiced religion exactly in their way, they were outside of God’s kingdom. The Interpreter’s Bible commentary notes that Christians who practice “close Communion” and who focus upon not associating with other Christians who don’t share their doctrinal views are guilty of this same principle. (Some manuscripts add verse 14: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation.” This verse is not in the earliest versions of Matthew, but are rather interpolated from Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47. Be that as it may, the criticism is that their religious practices are all about THEM. Some of them receive hospitality and support from others (“devour widows’ houses”), but what do they give to others?! The same is true about their “long prayers” – they may make them look good, but what do those prayers really contribute to the welfare of others?! It may well be that these criticisms are still valid about some religious leaders of our present day! CHAPTER 23:15 “Second Woe – For Being Missionaries of Fanaticism” “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.” During the first century, a number of Gentiles were “God-fearers” – who were attracted to the Jewish understanding of one God and also tried to live their by the Jewish moral law (such as the Ten Commandments). They were not Jews, but were very interested in learning more about Judaism. Examples of such “God-fearers” were the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-39), the Roman centurion Cornelius (Acts 10:1-8, 24-48), and the devout Greeks of Thessalonica (Acts 17:4). “God-fearers” were to be found listening and worshiping in almost every synagogue. It was the aim of the scribes and Pharisees to turn these “God-fearers” into converts (literally, proselytes) – meaning “one who has approached” or “drawn near”. Such persons would be baptized by total immersion to symbolize that they have “died” to their former life as a Gentile and have now become fully Jewish. Males would be circumcised. Perhaps most importantly, these persons would now be bound to observe the entire Jewish ceremonial law – including things such as dietary restrictions, laws of cleanliness, etc. As is often the case, converts often becomes the most fanatical devotees of their new religion. It is very probable that many converts became as strict as any scribe or Pharisee in their religious living – and that they probably became “ultra-judgmental” of others who were not as “devoted” as they were. THAT is what Jesus was condemning! CHAPTER 23:16-22 “Third Woe – For Their Abuse of Oaths” “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.’ How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; and whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears by it and by the one who dwells in it; and whoever swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it.” The scribes and Pharisees often tried to distinguish between various kinds of oaths – with oaths of “particularity” (such as the gold of the temple as compared to just the temple in general) being regarded as stronger. Needless to say, this “ranking” of oaths invited abuse as some persons would try to make an oath that seemed important but would still be easy to get out of! (This is equivalent to people “crossing their fingers” while making a promise!) Ideally, if a person always spoke the truth, oaths would not ever be necessary! Jesus had previously made that point in his “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt. 5:34-37). If we are known for our honesty, people will trust that we will do what we say without our swearing an oath. Our word should be our bond! CHAPTER 23:23-24 “Fourth Woe – For Misplaced Priorities in Religion” “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!” To tithe means to set aside one-tenth of what we have for God. In the Bible tithes were placed on grain, wine, oil, and flocks (Deut. 14:23) The scribes and Pharisees – as we hear – extended this to even apply to spices. Jesus has no problem with the concept of tithing. His “woe” is that scribes and Pharisees tended to overemphasize it as being the central measure of one’s religious practice, while not emphasizing the importance of “justice, mercy, and faith”. It is often easier to emphasize things that we can measure (such as tithing) rather than conditions of the heart. CHAPTER 23:25-26 “Fifth Woe – For Their Obsession With Ceremonial Purity” “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may become clean.” The scribes and Pharisees placed a great deal of emphasis upon rules for ceremonial cleanliness. They certainly did understand that a person’s inner character was more important than outward rituals, but they believed that their cleanliness rules would help one to become more righteous. Jesus believed the opposite – that an obsession about observing rituals could actually be a hindrance to our focusing upon the truly important parts of religion, such as loving God and our neighbors. But if we focus upon loving God and our neighbors as being the center of our religious devotion, then we are clean within – and indeed through and through! CHAPTER 23:27-28 “Sixth Woe – For Their Focusing upon External Righteousness” “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” This saying is similar to the previous one. Tombs often would be whitewashed so that people would not walk over them accidentally and thus become ceremonially “unclean”. Jesus’ point is that an emphasis upon external rituals could make a person appear to be righteous even though they are full of evil within. God, however, is concerned with what we are within – in the heart! CHAPTER 23:29-36 “Seventh Woe – Their Hypocritical Honoring of the Prophets” “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors. You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets, sages, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly I tell you, all this will come upon this generation.” As the Interpreter’s Bible commentary puts it, “Many an Independence Day orator who eulogizes Lincoln or Washington would have been a bitter opponent of these men if he had lived in their days. It is much more convenient to honor dead prophets than to heed living ones.” The same is certainly true for us. Many of us might like to think that if we had been alive at the time of Jesus, we would have been his disciples. It is very possible and even probable, however, that we would have been among his opponents! Our prejudices and behaviors are often passed down from generation to generation – and because of that, we in many ways are very similar to our ancestors – including our response to God’s message as conveyed through his prophets. The significance of Abel and Zechariah is that they represent the first and last murders in the Hebrew bible. Abel was of course the first person to be murdered (by his brother Cain in Genesis 4:8). In the Hebrew bible, 2 Chronicles is the final book (not Malachi) – and in 2 Chronicles 24:20-22 Zechariah was stoned to death in the court of the house of the LORD by the order of king Joash. As Zechariah was dying he said, “May the LORD see and avenge!” (2 Chron. 24:22) (Point – Zechariah was actually the son of the priest Jehoiada (2 Chron. 24:20), NOT Barachiah.) Jesus’ point is that from the beginning to the end, the history of Israel’s leaders is rejecting and often killing God’s prophets! POINT: This passage has sometimes been misused as a condemnation of all Jews. It is obvious, however, that Jesus is addressing and condemning the scribes and Pharisees – that is, the religious leaders – rather than Jews in general. CHAPTER 23:37-39 “Jesus’ Lament Because of their Rejection of his Love” “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city the kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you, desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” This lament would have been especially poignant to Matthew’s original Jewish-Christian readers. As followers of Jesus, they understood that his message was the fulfillment of all of the Old Testament prophets – and yet most of their people rejected Jesus and excommunicated his followers. Jesus’ reaction is the lament of spurned love. He does not desire the destruction of “Jerusalem”, but yet that will be the inevitable result of their rejection of him and his teachings. His prophecy was literally fulfilled forty years later when Jewish zealots chose the way of hatred and war against the Romans rather than his way of forgiveness and peace – and as a result, Jerusalem was totally destroyed. Jesus’ final prophecy about “Jerusalem” not seeing him again until they say “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord” does not refer to his Triumphal Entry (Palm Sunday) into Jerusalem that was referred to earlier in Mt. 21:9. It rather refers to his Second Coming that he will be talking about in the next chapter (Matthew 24). The plea of love expressed here is for people to receive him and let him and his teachings abide with them NOW – so that when he comes again as the glorious Son of Man (Mt. 24:30-31) he will come as their Savior rather than their judge. So may it be for us! -------------------- George R. Karres, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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